Roxie’s head fell back as white-hot energy coursed through her.Colors swirled behind her eyelids, and tingles ran across her skin.Her hands had found their way under his T-shirt, and she raked her fingers across his taut muscles.
Oh, God.Nothing had changed.
Yet everything was different.
She stiffened.She knew where this would lead.They did this every time he showed up in town.They’d get all hot and bothered.That wick would burn brightly until their relationship exploded.She couldn’t let them repeat the trend.For once, she had to deny herself.
It might hurt like hell now, but it would feel better in the end.
Feeling her withdrawal, Billy pulled back.Their breaths puffed against each other’s faces.It was all Roxie could do to keep from trembling.
She couldn’t do this, not again.
He knew it, too, and was already shaking his head.“Have a good night, baby.”
He swirled one of her long curls around his finger, but then gently laid the strand of hair against her shoulder.Slowly, he let go of her and backed off.His green gaze was cloudy now.He cleared his throat and stuffed his hands in his back pockets.
With a final nod, he turned away.
Gossip started buzzing through the room.
Roxie couldn’t stop herself from watching as he moseyed across the bar.He’d always been such an eye-magnet when he moved.Tonight was no different.When a bleach-blonde bimbo stepped into his path and thrust her tiny little boobs at him, Roxie nearly reached for the knife the bartender was using on the limes.
Stopping herself in the nick of time, she settled for cinching her belt around her waist.
Unfortunately, she pulled so tight, she could barely breathe.
Reaching out, she steadied herself against the bar.Her nose crinkled when she saw how white her fingers were.
She was acting like a damn girl, all fluttery and delicate.
She blew out a harsh breath.Inside, she didn’t feel like a girl.She felt like a woman.Her body was alive, energized as if it had just woken up from a long nap.Yet her heart was beating like a scared dove’s.
“Ah, hell,” she muttered.
This was too much.He shouldn’t be here.
Especiallynot with them here, too.
Letting go of the bar, she deliberately fluffed her hair.Her sisters were already closing in.She could see the shock on their faces and practically hear their questions being screamed across the air.The jukebox was pumping out heavy metal, but she could hear her heart drumming steadily in her ears.The combination of all three created such a cacophony that her thoughts scrambled.
She didn’t want to go through this.She didn’t want to have this discussion.Hadn’t she opened herself up enough?
Maxie was the first to make it to her, and she caught her by the arm.“The two of you were married?”
Lexie was close on her heels.“Why didn’t you tell us?”
The roar in Roxie’s ears intensified.Crap on a cracker.Did they have to pile on?
She let out a sigh that emptied the breath that had been trapped in the bottom of her lungs.“I did tell you,” she said tiredly.“In a way…”
Too many people were still staring at them, and she shook her head.This wasn’t news to a lot of the old-time regulars.At one time, Billy had been around here more than she had.
But she wasn’t going to share her dirty laundry with everyone.
Escape.It was the foremost idea in her head.She had to get out of here.
Her hair tumbled over her shoulders as she searched for somewhere she could go.Her brain just wasn’t working, and so many people were pressed around her.
